Books with author Ernest A. Wallis Budge

This book was published in 1908. the author is Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge was an English Egyptologist, Orientalist, Contents of the book:I. The belief in God almighty ... ... ... 1 ii. Osiris the god of the resurrection ... 41 iii. The "Gods" of the Egyptians ... ... 84 iv. The judgment of the dead ... ... 110 v. The resurrection and immortality ... ... 157. Excerpt from the author's introduction:The following pages are intended to place before the reader in a handy form an account of the principal ideas and beliefs held by the ancient Egyptians concerning the resurrection and the future life, which is derived wholly from native religious works. / The literature of Egypt which deals with these subjects is large and, as was to be expected, the product of different periods which, taken together, cover several thousands of years; and it is exceedingly difficult at times to reconcile the statements and beliefs of a writer of one period with those of a writer of another. Up to the present, no systematic account of the doctrine of the resurrection and of the future life has been discovered, and there is no reason for hoping that such a thing will ever be found, for the Egyptians do not appear to have thought that it was necessary to write a work of the kind. The inherent difficulty of the subject, and the natural impossibility that different men living in different places and at different times should think alike on matters which must, after all, belong always to the region of faith, render it more than probable that no college of priests, however powerful, was able to formulate a system of beliefs which would be received throughout Egypt by the clergy and the laity alike, and would be copied by the scribes as a final and authoritative work on Egyptian eschatology.

A study of the remains of the native religious literature of ancientEgypt which have come down to us has revealed the fact that thebelief in magic, that is to say, in the power of magical names, andspells, and enchantments, and formulæ, and pictures, and figures,and amulets, and in the performance of ceremonies accompanied bythe utterance of words of power, to produce supernatural results,formed a large and important part of the Egyptian religion. And it iscertain that, notwithstanding the continuous progress which theEgyptians made in civilization, and the high intellectualdevelopment to which they eventually attained, this beliefinfluenced their minds and, from the earliest to the latest period oftheir history, shaped their views concerning things temporal as wellas spiritual in a manner which, at this stage in the history of theworld, is very difficult to understand. The scrupulous care withwhich they performed their innumerable religious ceremonies, andcarried out the rules which they had formulated concerning theworship of the divine Power or powers, and their devotion toreligious magic, gained for them among the nations with whom theycame in contact the reputation of being at once the most religiousand the most superstitious of men. That this reputation was, on thewhole, well deserved, is the object of this little book to shew.Egyptian magic dates from the time when the predynastic andprehistoric dwellers in Egypt believed that the earth, and theunderworld, and the air, and the sky were peopled with countlessbeings, visible and invisible, which were held to be friendly orunfriendly to man according as the operations of nature, which theywere supposed to direct, were favourable or unfavourable to him. In-nature and attributes these beings were thought by primitive man toclosely resemble himself and to possess all human passions, andemotions, and weaknesses, and defects; and the chief object of magicwas to give man the pre-eminence over such beings. The favour ofthe beings who were placable and friendly to man might be obtainedby means of gifts and offerings, but the cessation of hostilities on the part of those that were implacable and unfriendly could only beobtained by wheedling, and cajolery, and flattery, or by making useof an amulet, or secret name, or magical formula, or figure, or picturewhich had the effect of bringing to the aid of the mortal whopossessed it the power of a being that was mightier than the foe whothreatened to do evil to him. The magic of most early nations aimedat causing the transference of power from a supernatural being toman, whereby he was to be enabled to obtain superhuman resultsand to become for a time as mighty as the original possessor of thepower; but the object of Egyptian magic was to endow man with themeans of compelling both friendly and hostile powers, nay, at a latertime, even God Himself, to do what he wished, whether the werewilling or not. The belief in magic, the word being used in its bestsense, is older in Egypt than the belief in God, and it is certain that avery large number of the Egyptian religious ceremonies, which wereperformed in later times as an integral part of a highly spiritualworship, had their origin in superstitious customs which date from aperiod when God, under any name or in any form, was unconceivedin the minds of the Egyptians. Indeed it is probable that even the useof the sign which represents an axe, and which stands thehieroglyphic character both for God and “god,“ indicates that thisweapon and. tool was employed in the performance of someceremony connected with religious magic in prehistoric, or at anyrate in predynastic times, when it in some mysterious waysymbolized the presence of a supreme Power.

The Egyptian Book of the Dead is unquestionably one of the most influential books in all history. Embodying a ritual to be performed for the dead, with detailed instructions for the behaviors of the disembodied spirit in the Land of the Gods, it served as the most important repository of religious authority for some three thousand years. Chapters were carved on the pyramids of the ancient 5th Dynasty, texts were written in papyrus, and selections were painted on mummy cases well into the Christian Era. In a certain sense it stood behind all Egyptian civilization.In the year 1888, Dr. E. Wallis Budge, then purchasing agent for the British Museum, followed rumors he heard of a spectacular archeological find in Upper Egypt, and found in an 18th Dynasty tomb near Luxor "the largest roll of papyrus I had ever seen, tied with a thick band of papyrus, and in a perfect state of preservation." It was a copy of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, written around 1500 B.C. for Ani, Royal Scribe of Thebes, Overseer of the Granaries of the Lords of Abydos, and Scribe of the Offerings of the Lord of Thebes.This Papyrus of Ani, a full version of the Theban recension, is presented here by Dr. Budge, who later became perhaps the world's most renowned Egyptologist. Reproduced in full are a clear copy of the Egyptian hieroglyphs, an interlinear transliteration of their sounds (as reconstructed), a word-for-word translation, and separately a complete smooth translation. All this is preceded by an introduction of more than 150 pages. As a result of this multiple apparatus the reader has a unique opportunity to savor all aspects of the Book of the Dead, or as it is otherwise known, The Book of the Great Awakening.

For millennia, Egypt, the dark land, has been considered the home of magic. The feats of her priests and magicians were renowned throughout the ancient world, from the simplest legerdemain (according to present interpretation) to the heights of necromancy and sorcery. Even their most severe critics, the ancient Hebrews, admitted the power of Egyptian magic. In the famous sorcerers' duel between Moses and Egyptian priests before Pharaoh, the Egyptians were almost as skilled as Moses.This well-known study of ancient Egyptian magic, by E. A. Wallis Budge, long curator of Egyptian antiquities at the British Museum, sums up everything that is known about the wonder-working of ancient Egypt. After a general discussion of the role of magic in Egyptian religion proper — Dr. Budge covers the powerful amulets that warded off evil spirits; the scarabs of immortality; the use of wax images and spirit placements; magical pictures and formulas; magic via the secret name; magic of sounds; rituals; curses; destruction of hostile magic; determination of fortunate dates, and many of the other practices of the ancient Nile dwellers.Dozens of magic formulas are given in full — both in the original Egyptian sounds, as far as they can be recreated — and in English; dozens of excerpts are also given from the magical papyroi, tomb inscriptions, and other sources. Many wonderful tales are told in these Egyptian stories; mind control, enforcing will upon animals, suspended animation, calling up the dead, finding ancient books of incredible magical power, and other miraculous events that we may or may not believe.

Explore the riveting impact of magic on ancient Egyptian civilization, from birth, to love and marriage, to the rituals of death and the afterlife!First published in 1899, Egyptian Magic is a classic work of one of the most prolific Victorian Egyptologists, Sir E. A. Wallis Budge. Budge presents a history of Egyptian magic and the details of its practice to help you uncover the Egyptian's distinction between white magic and black magic as you learn about magical artifacts, their identities and their applications in detail. These include jeweled scarabs and amulets, shown alongside useful illustrations and an abundance of information. Additionally, some first hand accounts claiming to have witnessed effects of the Egyptian occult are also contained in these pages for your intrique.Egyptian Magic is essential reading for anybody interested in ancient cultures and their approaches to magic.

Book Description: "The KEBRA NAGAST, or the Book of the Glory of Kings of Ethiopia, has been in existence for at least a thousand years, and contains the true history of the origin of the Solomonic line of kings in Ethiopia. It is regarded as the ultimate authority on the history of the conversion of the Ethiopians from the worship of the sun, moon, and stars to that of the Lord God of Israel." (Quote from moonchild.ch)Table of Contents: Publisher’s Preface; Preface To The Present Edition; Preface To The First Edition; Introduction; The Glory Of Kings; Concerning The Glory Of Kings; Concerning The Greatness Of Kings; Concerning The Kingdom Of Adam; Concerning Envy; Concerning The Kingdom Of Seth; Concerning The Sin Of Cain; Concerning Noah; Concerning The Flood; Concerning The Covenant Of Noah; Concerning Zion; The Unanimous Declaration Of The Three Hundred And Eighteen Orthodox Fathers; Concerning Canaan; Concerning Abraham; Concerning The Covenant Of Abraham; Concerning Isaac And Jacob; Concerning RÔbÊl (reuben); Concerning The Glory Of Zion; How The Orthodox Fathers And Bishops Agreed; How This Book Came To Be Found; Concerning The Division Of The Earth; Concerning The Queen Of The South; Concerning TÂmrÎn, The Merchant; How The Merchant Returned To Ethiopia; How The Queen Made Ready To Set Out On Her Journey; How The Queen Came To Solomon The King; How The King Held Converse With The Queen; Concerning The Labourer; How Solomon Gave Commandments To The Queen; Concerning The Three Hundred And Eighteen [patriarchs]; Concerning How King Solomon Swore To The Queen; Concerning The Sign Which Solomon Gave The Queen; How The Queen Brought Forth And Came To Her Own Country; How The King Of Ethiopia Travelled; How The Young Man Arrived In His Mother's Country; How King Solomon Sent To His Son The Commander Of His Army; How King Solomon Held Intercourse With His Son; How Solomon Asked His Son Questions; How The King Planned To Send Away His Son With The Children Of The Nobles; How They Made The Son Of Solomon King; How Zadok The Priest Gave Commands To David The King; Concerning The Blessing Of Kings; Concerning The Ten Commandments; How The Men Of The Army Of Israel Received [their] Orders; How It Is Not A Seemly Thing To Revile The King; How Those Who Were Sent Away Wept And Made A Plan; How They Made A Plan Concerning Zion; Concerning The Offering Of AzÂryÂs (azariah) And The King; How They Carried Away Zion; How His Father Blessed His Son; How They Bade Farewell To His Father And How The City Mourned; How He Said Unto Zadok The Priest, "go And Bring The Covering (or, Clothing) Which Is Upon It (i.e., Zion)"; How Zadok The Priest Departed; How The Wagon Was Given To Ethiopia; How David [the King Of Ethiopia] Prophesied And Saluted Zion; How The People Of Ethiopia Rejoiced; Of The Return Of Zadok The Priest, And The Giving Of The Gift; Concerning The Fall Of Zadok The Priest; How Solomon Rose Up To Slay Them; How The King Questioned An Egyptian, The Servant Of Pharaoh; How Solomon Lamented For Zion; How Solomon Returned To Jerusalem; Concerning The Answer Which Solomon Made To Them; How The Nobles Of Israel Agreed [with The King]; How The Daughter Of Pharaoh Seduced Solomon; Concerning The Sin Of Solomon; Concerning The Prophecy Of Christ; Concerning The Lamentation Of Solomon; Concerning Mary, Our Lady Of Salvation; Concerning The Question Of Solomon; How Rehoboam Reigned; Concerning Mary, The Daughter Of David; Concerning The King Of RÔmÊ (constantinople); Concerning The First Judgment Of ’adrÂmÎ, King Of RÔmÊ; Concerning The King Of MedyÂm; Concerning The King Of Babylon; Concerning Lying Witnesses; Concerning The King Of Persia; Concerning The King Of Moab; Concerning The King Of Amalek; Concerning The King Of The Philistines; How The Son Of Samson Slew The Son Of The King Of The Philistines; Co

THIS volume contains a complete English translation of the famous Ethiopian work, The "Kebra Nagast," i.e. the "Glory of the Kings [of Ethiopia]." This work has been held in peculiar honour in Abyssinia for several centuries, and throughout that country it has been, and still is, venerated by the people as containing the final proof of their descent from the Hebrew Patriarchs, and of the kinship of their kings of the Solomonic line with Christ, the Son of God. The importance of the book, both for the kings and the people of Abyssinia, is clearly shown by the letter that King John of Ethiopia wrote to the late Lord Granville in August, 1872. The king says: "There is a book called 'Kivera Negust' which contains the Law of the whole of Ethiopia, and the names of the Shûms [i.e. Chiefs], and Churches, and Provinces are in this book. I pray you find out who has got this book, and send it to me, for in my country my people will not obey my orders without it." (See infra, p. xxvii.) The first summary of the contents of the Kebra Nagast was published by Bruce as far back as 1813, but little interest was roused by his somewhat bald précis. And, in spite of the labours of Prætorius, Bezold, and Hugues le Roux, the contents of the work are still practically unknown to the general reader in England. It is hoped that the translation given in the following pages will be of use to those who have not the time or opportunity for perusing the Ethiopic original.The Kebra Nagast is a great storehouse of legends and traditions, some historical and some of a purely folk-lore character, derived from the Old Testament and the later Rabbinic writings, and from Egyptian (both pagan and Christian), Arabian, and Ethiopian sources. Of the early history of the compilation and its maker, and of its subsequent editors we know nothing, but the principal groundwork of its earliest form was the traditions that were current in Syria, Palestine, Arabia, and Egypt during the first four centuries of the Christian era. Weighing carefully all that has been written by Dillmann, Trump, Zotenberg, Wright, and Bezold, and taking into account the probabilities of the matter, it seems to me that we shall not be far wrong if we assign the composition of the earliest form of the Kebra Nagast to the sixth century A.D. Its compiler was probably a Coptic priest, for the books he used were writings that were accepted by the Coptic Church. Whether he lived in Egypt, or in Aksûm, or in some other part of Ethiopia matters little, but the colophons of the extant Ethiopic MSS. of the Kebra Nagast suggest that he wrote in Coptic.

Egyptian hieroglyphics and images ensured the well-being of the dead in the world beyond. Every breathtaking picture reproduced here--in a remarkable-looking volume bound in real papyrus--comes from Thebes, and represents one version of the great national funeral work copied by scribes from about 900 b.c. to 600 b.c. The early history of the Book of the Dead remains shrouded in the mists of remote antiquity, but its origin was considered divine--often attributed to the god Osiris. These evocative and glowing paintings show the sun god Ra on the Night Boat, towed on the waters under the earth; a delicate blue-and-white image, originally drawn on plaster, of Nebamun hunting in the marshes; and, from the tomb of the pharaoh Ramses VI, a grand ceiling mural decorated with astronomical scenes.

Rabban Bar Ṣawma (c. 1220–1294) (Syriac language: ܪܒܢ ܒܪ ܨܘܡܐ; Syriac pronunciation: [rɑbbɑn bɑrsˤɑwma]), also known as Rabban Ṣawma or Rabban Çauma,(Chinese: 拉賓掃務瑪; pinyin: lābīn sǎowùmǎ), was a Turkic Chinese monk turned diplomat of the "Nestorian" Church of the East in China. He is known for embarking on a pilgrimage from Mongol-controlled China to Jerusalem with one of his students, Rabban Markos. Due to military unrest along the way, they never reached their destination, but instead spent many years in Ilkhanate-controlled Baghdad.The younger Markos was eventually elected Yahballaha III, Patriarch of the Church of the East and later suggested his teacher Rabban Bar Ṣawma be sent on another mission, as Mongol ambassador to Europe. The elderly monk met with many of the European monarchs, as well as the Pope, in attempts to arrange a Franco-Mongol alliance. The mission bore no fruit, but in his later years in Baghdad, Rabban Bar Ṣawma documented his lifetime of travel. His written account of his journeys is of unique interest to modern historians, as it gives a picture of medieval Europe at the close of the Crusades, painted by a keenly-intelligent, broadminded, and statesmanlike observer.Bar Ṣawma's travels occurred prior to the return of Marco Polo to Europe, and his writings give a reverse viewpoint, of the East looking to the West.